Good EDI practice - Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan (Light)

4. Good EDI practice

4.1 Our commitment to sharing good practice and collaboration

The University is committed to sharing and scaling good EDI practice so that equity, diversity and inclusion are embedded across the OU, rather than delivered as isolated initiatives.

The Plan will be delivered through a coherent University-wide approach that promotes collaboration, continuous improvement and evidence-informed practice. This will help reduce duplication, support innovation and accountability, and enable colleagues to learn from effective approaches that improve outcomes for staff and students

4.2 Good EDI practice in the Nations

The Nations play a key role in delivering the EDI Strategic Plan by translating University-wide priorities into locally relevant action. Working within central governance, they respond to nation-specific legal, policy and community contexts, engage local stakeholders, and embed EDI principles into decision-making and delivery.

This flexible approach ensures the Plan remains aligned to the University’s overall strategic framework while being responsive to local demographics, challenges and opportunities.

The Open University in Ireland

The OU in Ireland works within the legal duties set out in the Northern Ireland Act 1998, including the requirement to promote equality of opportunity across protected characteristics and good relations between the two community traditions. These duties are reflected in the OU Equality Scheme, annual reporting to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI), and Fair Employment data on the composition of our workforce in Northern Ireland.

Through our Outcome Agreement with the Department for the Economy, we are committed to widening access, addressing regional imbalance and reducing barriers to education. This includes partnerships with organisations such as AWARE NI, The King’s Trust and Libraries NI, as well as tailored support for scholarship students, including Black Open Futures, Carers, Inclusive Futures and Sanctuary scholars.

Over the coming years, the OU in Ireland will continue to engage with key developments, including the Northern Ireland Disability Strategy 2025–2035, race equality legislation reform, a new Widening Participation Strategy, and work with LGBTQIA+ grassroots organisations.

The Open University in Wales

The OU in Wales works within the UK-wide Equality Act 2010 and the specific Statutory Duties (the 2011Regulations) that apply in Wales, including requirements to publish equality objectives, undertake impact assessments and engage with citizens. As an institution funded by Medr, we support its obligations as a listed public educational body in Wales.

Our approach to inclusion brings together EDI, sustainability and wellbeing under the banner of Social Responsibility. This reflects the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015, which encourages a collective endeavour to improve economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales, and aligns with the wider OU mission to be inclusive, ethical and socially responsible.

We also support the Welsh Government’s ambition to make Wales an anti-racist nation through our Race Equality Charter work and dedicated social responsibility activity. Socio-economic inequity remains a key focus, particularly for students in IMDQ1 areas, who are prioritised within the Access and Participation Plan (APP).

The Open University in Scotland

The OU in Scotland works within the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and its entire Outcome Framework and Assurance Model (OFAM), where EDI is embedded across governance, planning, delivery and monitoring outcomes.

We also meet EDI legislation through Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) reporting and delivery of National Equality Outcomes (NEOs). These include improving success, retention and satisfaction across protected characteristics; reducing gender imbalances; improving disabled students’ experience; supporting mental health; tackling harassment; and ensuring representative staff, Boards and Courts.

Our approach to EDI is strategic, evidence-based, integrated and focused on improvement, using data, Equality Impact Assessments and clear actions to improve outcomes for staff and students.

We also deliver statutory responsibilities relating to corporate parenting and British Sign Language (BSL). Through our Corporate Parenting Plan, we have increased the number of students declaring care experience and continue to strengthen student voice, staff awareness and partnerships with other corporate parents (e.g., Hub for Success, CEECEF). We also publish a BSL action plan.

The OU in Scotland works in partnership with a range of organisations to support work on racism, gender balance, gender-based violence (GBV), estranged students and forced migration. This includes participation in Scotland’s first higher education survey on GBV led by the charity EmilyTest.

4.3 Overarching activities and practice

Delivery of the Plan will be supported by cross-University activities such as:

Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) help ensure that OU policies, projects and services are fair, inclusive and do not disadvantage particular groups. They support early identification of risks, mitigation planning, and compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty and Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
In June 2026, an updated EIA template (2026) and EIA screening tool (EIA-ST) were launched to streamline and simplify the process for authors. Accessing EIAs has also been made easier for staff, as they can now be accessed directly via the Intranet A–Z.
Staff networks provide safe, supportive spaces for colleagues to share experiences, strengthen belonging, and contribute lived experience to University decision-making. They help shape inclusive policies and practices, increase visibility of diverse groups, and support cultural change across the OU.
The OU supports its nine staff networks with dedicated budget, FTE release time for chairs/co-chairs, and ongoing guidance from the EDI Team, helping networks contribute effectively to institutional EDI priorities.
The OU’s staff networks are: Black and Minority Ethnic Network, Carer Staff Network, Enabling Staff Network, International Communities Network, Proud Network, Neurodiversity Network, Trans Network, Women@OU Staff Network, and Menopause Moments.
Student support, connection and community. OpenSU (Students Union) provides several ways in which students can access support, advocacy and advice as well as opportunities for students to form connections with each other and build student-led communities. This includes activities such as Welcome Week, Individual Representation Service, Community drop-ins, OU Students Connect, OU Pride, EDI newsletter, Black Asian and Minority Ethnic Students Group, Disabled Students Group, Allyship Hub, Menopause Support Hub, Neurodiversity Support Hub.
Carers at the OU. The OU recognises that caring responsibilities are an important and often under-acknowledged part of colleagues’ and students’ lives, with impacts on wellbeing, career progression, engagement and equity.
We have strengthened support through the Dependants and Carers Leave Policy and Procedure, the institution-wide Carer Passport, related guidance on flexible support, manager guidance in the People Manager Toolkit, membership of Employers for Carers, and support for the Carer Staff Network, amongst other initiatives.
This work helps normalise conversations about caring, supports more consistent management practice, and provides a clearer framework for colleagues and students with caring responsibilities.
The Access and Participation Plan (APP) focuses on removing barriers for Black students, students with mental health difficulties, and students from areas of socio-economic disadvantage. Together, these groups represent around 30% of OU students. Supported by an annual £2.5m commitment, the APP aims to address inequities within University culture, systems and practices and create lasting structural change.
The Inclusive Curriculum Tool (ICT) supports authors and editors to review curriculum content, including assessment, to improve inclusion and accessibility. Mandated for all new curricula since March 2022, the ICT is now being developed into a digital platform with OU-developed AI tools to improve consistency, coverage and impact evaluation.
Learning and Development. The OU is strengthening EDI learning through a range of programmes and resources that build confidence, awareness and inclusive practice across the University. Including:
- The Allyship Programme, launched in 2024, which helps colleagues understand how to use their privilege and power to support equity and inclusion. More than 300 colleagues have engaged with the learning so far and over 95 have completed the full programme.
- The EDI Learning Hub provides a central platform for colleagues to access resources on a wide range of EDI topics, including materials linked to REC and Athena Swan priorities.
- Replacing Equality Essentials with the new mandatory Equity and Inclusion Essentials course, providing a refreshed foundation in EDI concepts, legal duties and what good equity practice looks like in everyday work at the OU.
- Publishing the one-hour version of Union Black course on OpenLearn and MyLearningCentre (MLC), supporting staff and students to understand racism and take practical steps towards anti-racism.